Intercom system for residential complex

Abstract

The present invention relates to an intercom system for a collective residence. An intercom system for a collective residence, comprising: a main entrance station having a camera; a resident entrance substation having a camera and a resident main station for each resident in the residence; a storage unit that stores a video (V1) of a visitor captured by a camera of the main entrance station by associating the video with the resident ID of each resident to be visited; and a control unit. The control unit comprises a checking unit that checks the video (V1) with a video (V2) captured by a camera of the resident entrance substation. If the checking unit indicates a match, the control unit compares the resident ID associated with the match stored in the storage unit with the ID of the resident in which the call button of the resident entrance substation has been operated. If the IDs are different, the operation of the call button is invalidated.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates generally to intercom systems, and more particularly to an intercom system for a multi-family residence that prevents unauthorized visitors from calling a home station of a resident in the multi-family residence. Background Art

[0002] In a conventional intercom system for a collective house, in order to maintain security and prevent crime, a technology has been used to allow a visitor to call a resident main station installed inside each household from a main entrance station installed in the main entrance of the collective house, and after obtaining permission from each resident, the visitor is allowed to enter a common area connected to the front door of the corresponding household. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2008-79105 discloses an intercom system in which a resident notifies a visitor of a predetermined call number in advance, so that the visitor can call the resident only by using the call number in the system, thereby preventing a thief or a high-pressure salesperson from knowing or determining that the resident is not at home. Summary of the invention

[0003] Technical issues

[0004] In a multifamily housing complex, there has been a problem that a suspicious or suspected person may enter the housing complex by following a resident or authorized visitor through the main entrance and calling a resident of the intended household from a substation at the household's entrance.

[0005] In view of the above problems, an important object of the present invention is to provide an intercom system for a residential complex, which can prevent unauthorized visitors from calling the resident master station in the residential complex, thereby improving the security of the residential complex.

[0006] Technical Solutions

[0007] The present invention provides an intercom system for a collective residence, the intercom system comprising: a main entrance station, which includes a selection device, the selection device is used to allow one or more visitors to select a resident to be visited in the collective residence, the main entrance station also includes a camera, the camera is used to capture images of one or more visitors; a resident main station, the resident main station is installed inside each resident of the collective residence; a resident entrance substation of each resident, the resident entrance substation includes a calling device of the resident main station for calling the resident and a camera for capturing a video of a person who has operated the calling device; a control device, the control device is used to control the intercom system; and a storage device, the storage device is used to store an image of each visitor and a resident to be visited by associating the image of the visitor with the resident; wherein the control device includes a checking device, the checking device is used to check the video of one or more visitors and the video of the person who has operated the calling device; and wherein, if the checking indication of the checking device matches and if the resident to be visited does not match the resident in which the calling device of the resident entrance substation has been operated, the control device invalidates the operation of the calling device.

[0008] In one aspect of the present invention, the storage device may be installed on a cloud server.

[0009] On the other hand, each resident of the collective housing includes an electronic resident lock, wherein the control device can release the electronic resident lock if the verification indication by the verification device matches and if the resident to be visited matches the resident in which the calling device of the resident entrance substation has been operated.

[0010] In another aspect of the present invention, the main entrance of the collective residence includes a main entrance electronic lock. In addition, the resident master station of each resident includes a release device for releasing the main entrance station electronic lock, and after a predetermined time period has passed since the visitor operated the selection device, the control device invalidates the operation of the calling device.

[0011] In one embodiment, the storage device may include an access history table, which stores videos of one or more visitors, resident IDs of households that one or more visitors are going to visit, and the release time when the residents of the collective residence release the electronic lock of the main entrance to allow the one or more visitors to enter, and associates the videos of one or more visitors, the resident IDs of households that one or more visitors are going to visit, and the release time when the residents of the collective residence release the electronic lock of the main entrance to allow the one or more visitors to enter with each other.

[0012] The intercom system may also include an electronic resident lock at the entrance of each resident, wherein, if the verification indication of the verification device matches and the resident to be accessed matches the resident in which the calling device of the resident entrance substation has been operated, the control device can call the resident main station of the resident in which the calling device of the resident entrance substation has been operated.

[0013] On the other hand, when the operation of the calling device is disabled, the already operated resident entrance substation issues an alarm indicating that the operation of the calling device is disabled.

[0014] Effect of the Invention

[0015] The intercom system of the present invention takes a video or captures an image of one or more visitors authorized by the resident through a camera of the main entrance station; stores information about one or more visitors and the resident to be visited by associating or relating one or more visitors to each resident; checks the person who has operated the calling device of the resident entrance substation and the one or more visitors; and if the check indicates a match and if the resident to be visited does not match the resident where the resident entrance substation is installed, the operation of the calling device is invalidated. In this way, since the resident main station is called even when the person at the resident is the correct visitor, the present invention provides a beneficial effect of preventing any person other than a legitimate visitor from calling the resident main station. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of an intercom system for a residential complex according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Block diagram of the intercom system shown in .

[0018] Figure 3A It is shown Figure 1 Block diagram of the resident master station for each resident shown in . Figure 3B It is shown Figure 1 Block diagram of the resident entrance substation for each resident shown in .

[0019] Figure 4 Show Figure 1 An example of an access history table for an intercom system is shown in .

[0020] Figures 5A-5D An example of information sent from a dwelling's dwelling entrance substation to a control unit via each dwelling's main station is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] Hereinafter, an intercom system for a collective residence such as a multi-family residence embodying the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1-3, the intercom system 1 of the present embodiment includes a main entrance station 2 installed in the main entrance of a collective residence, an electronic lock 7 for the main entrance, a cloud server 6 installed on the Internet, a resident main station 3 installed inside each household in the collective residence, a resident entrance substation 4 installed at the entrance of each household, an electronic resident lock 8 installed at the entrance of each household, and a control unit 5 for controlling the overall operation of the intercom system 1.

[0022] The main entrance station 2 includes: a monitor 25, which displays operation instructions and operation results, etc.; a call unit 23, which includes a microphone and a speaker that allow the visitor P to talk to the resident; a camera 24, which takes a video V1 of the visitor P or captures an image V1 of the visitor P (see Figure 4 ); a CPU 21 which controls the operation of the main entrance station 2; and an interface 22 which connects the main entrance station 2 and external devices, such as a control unit 5. In this example, the monitor 25 is a touch panel which includes: a selection button 26 which serves as a selection means for the visitor P to select the resident they wish to visit; and a call button 27 which provides the visitor P with a calling means to call the resident main station 3 of the resident the visitor has selected. It should be noted that the monitor 25 may include, for example, mechanical buttons instead of a touch panel.

[0023] The cloud server 6 includes a storage unit 63 that stores the video V1 of the resident and the visitor P selected to be visited by each visitor P via the selection button 26 of the main entrance station 2 by associating or relating the resident to be visited with the video V1 of the visitor P, and a CPU 61 that controls the operation of the cloud server 6. The cloud server 6 also includes an interface 62 that connects the cloud server 6 with an external device such as the control unit 5 via the Internet N.

[0024] Each resident master station 3 includes: a call unit 33, which includes a microphone and a speaker that allow the resident to speak to the visitor P; a response button 34, which allows the resident to respond to the call from the visitor P; a release button 35, which allows the resident to release the electronic locks 7 and 8 of the main entrance and the resident, respectively; a CPU 31, which controls the operation of the resident master station 3; and an interface 32, which connects the resident master station 3 with external devices such as the control unit 5, the resident entrance substation 4 and the electronic resident lock 8. When receiving the video V2 from the resident entrance substation 4, the resident master station 3 sends the video together with the resident ID of the resident to the control unit 5.

[0025] Each resident entrance substation 4 includes: a call unit 43, which includes a microphone and a speaker that allow the visitor P to speak with the resident; a call button 45, which is used as a calling device for the visitor P to call the resident; a camera 44, which takes a video of the person operating the resident entrance substation 4 of the resident; a CPU 41, which controls the operation of the resident entrance substation 4; and an interface 42, which connects the resident entrance substation 4 with an external device such as a control unit 5. In addition, the resident entrance substation 4 sends the video V2 (see FIG. 5) taken by the camera 44 to the control unit 5 via the resident main station 3.

[0026] The control unit 5 includes a CPU 51 and an interface 52 that connects the control unit 5 to the main entrance station 2, the cloud server 6, and the resident's resident main station 3 and the electronic lock 8. The CPU 51 includes a checking unit 53 that checks the video V1 of the visitor P with the video V2 of the person who has operated the call button 45 of the resident entrance substation 4.

[0027] like Figure 4 As shown in , the storage unit 63 stores an access history table that correlates the video V1 of the visitor P, the resident ID of the resident to be visited by the visitor P, and the release time when the resident of the residence releases the electronic lock 7 of the main entrance to allow the visitor P to enter. Preferably, the time when the video V1 of each visitor P is taken is when the electronic lock 7 of the main entrance is released by the control unit 5. Note that any information that can uniquely identify the resident, such as a room number or otherwise a uniquely assigned number, can be used as the resident ID.

[0028] Upon receiving the video V2 shot by the camera 44 of the resident entrance substation 4 and the resident ID of the resident who installed the station 4 from the resident main station 3, the control unit 5 transmits the video V2 to the verification unit 53. The verification unit 53 uses facial recognition to verify the person in the video V2 shot by the camera 44 with the video V1 retrieved from the access history table held in the storage unit 63. A detailed description is provided below.

[0029] For example, Figure 5A As shown in , the checking unit 53 checks the person in the video V2 from the resident entrance substation 4 with the visitor P in the videos V1a-V1d stored in the access history table, and extracts the resident ID "101" associated with the matching video V1a. When the extracted resident ID "101" matches the resident ID "101" received from the resident main station 3, the control unit 5 calls the resident main station 3 without invalidating the operation of the call button 45 or canceling the operation of the call button 45. The electronic lock 8 of the resident with the resident ID "101" can be configured to be automatically released at this time. Automatically releasing the lock in this way can save the resident from doing so. Note that the time when the call button 45 of the resident entrance substation 4 is pressed can be registered as the "call time", as shown on the table.

[0030] exist Figure 5B In the case shown in , because there is no video V1 matching the video V2, the control unit 5 invalidates the operation of the call button 45, so that the resident main station 3 is prevented from being called. It should be noted that when the call button operation is invalidated, the speaker of the resident entrance substation 4 can issue a voice alarm of invalid call.

[0031] In addition, Figure 5C In the case shown in , the resident ID "101" extracted based on the matching video V1a is different from the resident ID "102" received from the resident main station 3, and the control unit 5 invalidates the operation of the call button 45 so that the resident main station 3 is not called.

[0032] In addition, the system may be configured to make the operation of the call button 45 effective for a predetermined period of time, such as ten minutes, for example. This is because if the call of the visitor P remains effective for an extended period of time, the security of the collective residence may be compromised. Figure 5D As shown in , the control unit 5 determines that thirty minutes have elapsed from the release time 12:30 to the calling time 13:00, and proceeds to invalidate the operation of the calling button 45 or cancel the operation of the calling button 45.

[0033] Next, the operation of the intercom system 1 constructed as described above will be described.

[0034] When the visitor P touches the selection button 26 on the main entrance station 2 to select the resident that the visitor wants to visit and touches the call button 45, the control unit 5 calls the resident master station 3 of the selected resident. Subsequently, when the resident operates the resident master station 3 to release the electronic lock 7 of the main entrance of the collective housing, the camera 24 of the main entrance station 2 captures a video or image of the visitor P and sends the video or image of the visitor P to the control unit 5. The control unit 5 then sends the video V1 received from the main entrance station 2 together with the received resident ID to the cloud server 6. The cloud server 6 associates the received video V1 and the received resident ID because it stores information about these in the visit history table of the storage unit 63.

[0035] Subsequently, when the call button 45 of the resident entrance substation 4 is pressed, the camera 44 of the resident entrance substation 4 captures a video V2 of the person who has pressed the call button 45, and transmits the video V2 to the resident main station 3. The resident main station 3 transmits the received video to the control unit 5 together with the resident ID of the resident.

[0036] When the control unit 5 receives the video V2 and the resident ID from the resident master station 3, the checking unit 53 uses facial recognition to check the person in the video V2 with the visitor P in the video V1 in the access history table. If the check indicates a match, the resident ID associated with the matching video V1 is read from the storage unit 63 and compared with the resident ID received from the resident master station 3. If a match occurs, the operation of the call button 45 is not invalidated, and the electronic lock 8 of the resident is released. In contrast, if the resident IDs are different, that is, no match occurs, the operation of the call button 45 is invalidated.

[0037] The intercom system 1 thus configured checks the visitor P in the video captured by the camera 24 of the main entrance station 2 with the person who has operated the call button 45 of the resident entrance substation 4, and compares the resident called by the visitor P from the main entrance station 2 with the resident whose call button 45 has been operated. Because the intercom system 1 is configured not to call the resident master station 3 unless a match occurs, the intercom system 1 prevents anyone other than the correct person P from calling the resident master station 3. The intercom system 1 also avoids the danger of admitting suspicious persons or suspected persons who have entered the collective residence by following and / or interacting with them, so that the security of the collective residence is increased. In addition, because collective residences tend to have entrances of similar appearance arranged side by side, the intercom system 1 also has the beneficial effect of preventing the visitor P from accidentally or mistakenly operating the resident entrance substation 4 of the adjacent room.

[0038] The present invention is not limited to the aforementioned embodiments, and can be implemented with the arrangement of the various parts changed as needed without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the storage unit 63 can be included in the control unit 5, or the function of the control unit 5 can be implemented in the cloud server 6.

Claims

1. An intercom system for a residential complex with multiple households, the intercom system comprising: a main entrance station, the main entrance station including a selection device for allowing one or more visitors to select a household in the collective residence to visit, the main entrance station also including a camera for capturing a video of the one or more visitors; A resident master station, which is installed inside each resident in the collective residence; a resident entrance substation for each resident, the resident entrance substation including a calling device for calling the resident main station of the resident and a camera for capturing video of a person who has operated the calling device; A control device, the control device is used to control the intercom system; as well as a storage device for storing a video of each visitor and an ID of a resident by associating the video of the visitor captured by a camera included in the main entrance station with the ID of the resident to be visited by the visitor; wherein the control device comprises a checking device for checking the video of the one or more visitors with the video of the person who has operated the calling device; and Wherein, if the verification indication by the verification device matches and if the ID of the resident to be visited does not match the ID of the resident in which the calling device of the resident entrance substation has been operated, the control device invalidates the operation of the calling device.

2. The intercom system according to claim 1, wherein: The storage device is arranged on a cloud server.

3. The intercom system according to claim 1, wherein: Each resident of the collective housing unit includes an electronic resident lock; Wherein, if the verification indication by the verification device matches and if the ID of the resident to be accessed matches the ID of the resident in which the calling device of the resident entrance substation has been operated, the control device releases the electronic resident lock.

4. The intercom system according to claim 1, wherein: The main entrance of the collective residence includes a main entrance electronic lock; The resident master station of each resident includes a release device, which is used to release the main entrance electronic lock, and wherein the control means invalidates the operation of the calling means after a predetermined period of time has elapsed from the operation of the selecting means by the visitor.

5. The intercom system according to claim 4, wherein: The storage device includes an access history table, which stores and associates with each other the videos of the one or more visitors, the IDs of the residents that the one or more visitors want to visit, and the release time when the residents of the collective housing release the main entrance electronic lock to allow the one or more visitors to enter.

6. The intercom system of claim 1, further comprising an electronic resident lock at the entrance of each of said residents; in, If the verification indication passed by the verification device matches and the ID of the resident to be visited matches the ID of the resident whose calling device of the resident entrance substation has been operated, the control device calls the resident main station of the resident whose calling device of the resident entrance substation has been operated.

7. The intercom system according to claim 1, wherein: When the operation of the calling device is invalidated, the resident entrance substation that has been operated issues an alarm indicating that the operation of the calling device is invalid.

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